Who invented the multiplication table?

A:

Quick Answer

Although it is not known exactly who invented the multiplication table, scientists do know that ancient Babylonians used multiplication tables as early as around 1800 B.C. The oldest multiplication table using base 10 was found in China and dates to 305 B.C.

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Ancient Babylonian multiplication tables used base 60 and did not have a value for the number zero. Their numbers ranged from 1 to 59, and there were no decimal points. Babylonian multiplication tables were discovered written on clay tablets.

Ancient Chinese multiplication tables had a value for the number zero, and they were found written on bamboo strips. The oldest Chinese multiplication table goes up to 99.5.